Door knob



Nov. 12, 1957 H. w. FALK 2,812,967 DOOR KNOB Filed Qqt. 5. 195a INVENTORATTORNEY DOOR KNOB Harold W. Falk, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 5, 1956, Serial No. 614,249

Claims. (Cl. 292347) This invention relates to an improvement in doorknobs and dealsparticularl-y with a novel and effective manner ofconstructing door knobs.

Door knobs of the type used in relatively light weight door latchconstructions are difficult and costly to produce. If the knobs are castin one solid piece they are quite heavy and add very materially toshipping expense. Furthermore, when the knobs are used for screen doorhardware or the like, and are heavy in weight, they add materially tothe weight of the door and to the difficulty experienced in opening andclosing the door. This is particularly true if the latch happens to beof the type which is automatically operated when the lock bolt isretracted during the closing of the door.

weight material such as aluminum which does not in itself possess anyhigh degree of strength. This light weight-handle-body is reinforced byreinforcing plates on either side of the base of the knob which may beassembled together by a stamping operation to produce a handle which isextremely strong where strength is required.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of adoor knob including'an escutcheon plate which may be formed of lightweight material such as aluminum and which is reinforced at the bearingby means of a reinforcing sleeve which extends through the escutcheonplate. A rolled inner sleeve having oppositely directed-projections atopposite ends thereof rotates within the reinforcing sleeve. One pair ofprojections at one end of the sleeve extend through the reinforcingdiscs of the knob body and are clinched over to hold the reinforcingplates and knob body from rotation relative to this inner sleeve. Theprojections at the other end of the sleeve act to connect the innersleeve to a plate having a multi-sided aperture extending therethrough.Thus, the inner sleeve is held from-rotation from the knob body and fromthe apertured plate. The aperture in the plate is designed toaccommodate the multi-sided shank of the lock whichoperates the latchbolt in any suitable way.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of areinforcing plate inwardly of the escutcheon plate and concealedthereby. This inner plate is provided with a pair of integrally attachedparallel sleeves or bolt shanks. in the event sleeves are used, thesesleeves are'internally threaded to accommodate attaching'bolts.

A further feature of the present invention resides in tates atentO2,812,967 Fatented Nov. 12, 1957 the-provision of a door knob .bodywhich includes a hollow shell which is rolled so that one end of thebody is flat and the walls of the body are curved so that the otherextremity of the wall is directed inwardly. The closure plate is forcedinto place in this open end of the body to complete the hollowenclosure.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is an elevational View of the door knob in place upon a door.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the door knob and itsattaching means.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view at the base of the doorknob, theposition of the section being indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the body of the knob, the positionof the section being indicated by the line 44 o'f Figure 1.

Figure 5 of the drawings is a perspective view of the body of the knoband one of the reinforcing plates used in conjunction. therewith inexploded relation.

Figure 6 of :the drawings is a perspective view of the inner sleevewhich acts to connect the knob with the rotatable lock shank.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the inner sleeve attachedto one of the anchoring plates.

The door knob is indicated in general by the letter A and is designedfor attachment to a door B. A lock mechanism Cis mounted on or in thedoor B and is provided with a handle it) by means of which the lock maybe operated from one side of the door. The lock mechanism C is normallymounted on the inner surface of the door so that the lock may be latchedfrom the inside. The details of the lock are not a part of the presentinvention and therefore not illustrated. However, the lock Cis providedwith a latch bolt 11 which is designed to engage into a suitable keeperon the door frame to hold the door closed.

The door knob A includes a hollow body portion 12 which is shaped asbest illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings. The knob body 12 isprovided with a flat endportion 13 having a central aperture 14extending therethrough. The aperture 14 is provided with a pair ofdiametrically opposed notches 15 therein for a purpose which will belater described in detail. The fiat surface 13 is also provided withfour angularly spaced slots 16 therein, the purpose of which will alsobe presently described.

As indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the knob body is rolled into apan-shaped form and the edges of 'the body opposite the flat plate '13are rolled to extend inwardly as indicated at 17. The edges of theinwardly rolled portion 17 form an aperture 19 which provides access tothe interior of the body 12.

Inorder to enhance the appearance and to simplify the rolling of thebody, the body 12 is made of a relatively soft material such as aluminumor an aluminum alloy which is exteriorally polished to provide anattractive appearance. If desired, the surface may be annodized in anydesired color.

The reinforcingplateli? may be formed of any desired material but thisplate is preferably formed of material Which is harder than that of thebody 12. The reinforcing plate 20 includes a circular flat inner portion21 surrounded by a head 22 which is channel-shaped in cross section. Thereinforcing plate 20 is preferably formed by apunching operation and theouter edge of the channelshapeld head 22 is provided with a series ofangularly spaced projecting cars '23 which are similar in number andwhich are similarly spaced to the slot 16 of the flat end portion 13 ofthe knob body. The reinforcing plate is provided with a central aperture24 which is provided with diametrically opposed notches 25 communicatingtherewith, the aperture and notches being similar in form to theaperture 14 and notches 15 so as to register therewith. The ears 23 areof proper dimensions to extend through the slot 16.

An interior reinforcing plate 26 is also provided to lie inwandly of theflat end 13 of the knob body 12. The reinforcing plate 26 is generallycircular in form and is provided with angularly spaced notches 27 whichare similar in number and which are similarly located to the slots 16 inthe end plate 13. Accordingly, when the reinforcing plate 26 is inplace, the cars 23 of the reinforcing plate 20 may extend through theslots 16 and through the notches 27 and may be bent over to lie inwardlyof the reinforcing plate 26.

The plate 26 is provided with a central aperture 29 having diametricallyopposite notches 30. The aperture 29 and notches 30 are designed toregister with the apertures 24 and 14 and the notches 25 and 15. Thepurpose of this arrangement will be presently described.

The inner connecting sleeve shown in Figures 6 and 7 forms a connectionbetween the door knob body and the escutcheon plate. This sleeve 31 ispreferably rolled from a sheet of flat sheet metal and is formed intotubular form after it has been stamped to the desired form. Whencompleted, the inner sleeve 31 includes a tubular body 32 having ears 33projecting from one end thereof in diametrically opposed relation andears 34 projecting from the opposite end thereof. If the sleeve isformed as described, a longitudinal split 35 is arranged to extendthrough one of the cars 33 and through one of the aligned ears 34. Thus,in effect, one of each of these cars in reality comprises a pair ofside-by-side ears forming a single unit.

An anchoring plate 36 is secured to one end of the tubular body 32 bymeans of the ears 33. The plate 36 is provided with a multi-sidedaperture 37 extending therethrough axially of the tubular body portion32. The

plate 36 is provided with opposed notches 39 into which the cars 33extend. These ears are then bent over the surface of the plate to firmlyattach the plate to the tubular member 32. The plate 36 extends on aplane normal to the axis of the tubular body and the ends of the plateare rounded as indicated at 40 so that the plate will fit within acircular portion of the escutcheon plate reinforcing member as will belater described.

The escutcheon plate may next be assembled. The escutcheon platereinforcing member 41 includes a pair of end portions 42 and 43 arrangedon a common plane and a central circular offset portion 44 connected tothe end portions 41 by a tapered connecting sleeve 45. The reinforcingplate 41 is generally oval in outline in the particular design ofescutcheon plate employed herein.

A pair of apertures 46 extend through the end portion-s 42 and 43 of thereinforcing member 41 and tubular internally threaded sleeves 47 extendthrough these openings 4d. The sleeves 47 are provided with enlargedheads 49 which permit the sleeves to extend through the reinforcingmember to a predetermined distance. These sleeves are preferably forcedthrough the openings 46 so that they tend to remain in right angularrelation with the end portions 42 and 43 of the reinforcing member 41.

The escutcheon plate comprises a thin shell of light weight materialsuch as aluminum and is generally oval in outline in the particulararrangement illustrated. The escutcheon plate is provided with aninturned marginal edge which is designed to encircle the reinforcingplate 41 and to hold the two parts from relative pivotal movement. Theescutcheon plate is shaped to overlie the offset portion 44 of thereinforcing plate 41 and is provided witlran axial aperture 51 which isin registry with the aperture 5 2 in the reinforcing plate 41.

Asp-icing sleeve 53 is provided with. a reduced diameter end portion 54which extends through the apertures 51 and 52. The end of the sleeve maybe rolled outwardly so as to rivet the extremity of this sleeve over thereinforcing plate 41. The inner sleeve 31 may then be inserted to thespacing sleeve 53 so that the bearing plate 36 is rotatably supportedwithin the circular offset portion 44 of the reinforcing plate. When inthis position, the structure appears as indicated in Figure 3 of thedrawings with the bearing plate riding against the under surface of thereinforcing plate. As the reinforcing plate is entirely concealed in themounted position of the lock, this plate may be made of harder materialsuch as sheet steel although this is not normally necessary due to thefact that the stamped shape of this piece gives it very considerablestrength.

The door knob may then be completed by inserting the cars 34 of theinner sleeve 31 through the aligned notches 15, 25 and 27 in the knobbody end 13, the reinforcing plate 20, and the reinforcing plate 26. Asis indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings, the ends of these ears 34 arethen bent downwardly over the reinforcing plate 26 and the entireconstruction is assembled. The final operation in completing the doorknob is to insert the closure plate 55 into the aperture 19 forming apart of the door knob body 12. This plate 55 is preferablyconcavo-convex so as to follow the general contour of the body 12.

While there are numerous parts in the door knob assembly, all of theparts are relatively simple and inexpensive to form and for the mostpart these elements may be formed in punch press operation. The partssuch as the reinforcing and decorating plate 20 are formed of relativelythin metal which may be blanked out when in fiat form and then bent in apunch press operation to form the channel-shaped bead about theperiphery of the plate. The inner sleeve 31 is also preferably punchedout to proper form when fiat and then bent into the tubular formillustrated. The manner in which the other parts may be formed isbelieved obvious.

An elongated multi-sided shank 56 acts to connect the lock C and itshandle 10 with the knob A, the shank 56 usually being formed integrallyor as a part of the lock. In the particular form illustrated, bolts 57extnd through the casing of the lock C and into the internally threadedsleeves 47 to anchor these two parts together. This arrangement isdesirable as in attaching the lock it is only necessary to drill threespaced holes through the door,

the center hole being for the shank 56 and the other holes being for thesleeves 47. As the bolts 57 pass through the lock casing and into thesleeves 47, the proper alignment of the lock and knob is insured.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my Door Knob Construction and while Ihave endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire tohave it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope ofthe following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1 claim:

1. A door knob including a hollow door knob body having a fiat endportion, reinforcing plates on opposite sides of said flat end portion,said end portion having angularly spaced slots therein, and ears on oneof said reinforcing plates extending through said slots and bent tooverlie the other reinforcing plate to reinforce the flat end of theknob body.

2. The construction described in claim 1 and in which the said one ofsaid reinforcing plates is provided with a channel-shaped peripheral rimfrom which said ears project.

3. In a door knob assembly, an escutcheon plate having a circularapertured center portion, a reinforcing plate within said escutcheonplate and having an apertured center portion in registry with theapertured portion of said escutcheon plate, anchoring portions on saidreinforcing plate offset from said central circular apertured portionthereof, a flange on said escutcheon plate and extending marginallythereabout to enclose the edges of said reinforcing plate, a spacingsleeve having a reduced diameter end portion extending through theapertures in said escutcheon plate and reinforcing plate, and an innersleeve rotatably supported within said spacing sleeve, a bearing platemounted on the end of said inner sleeve, said bearing plate extendinginwardly of the circular center portion of said reinforcing plate and adoor knob body connected to said inner sleeve to rotate therewith.

4. The construction of claim 3 and including means on said inner sleeveholding said door knob body against said spacing sleeve.

5. The construction described in claim 3 and including internallythreaded sleeves extending through the mounting portions of saidreinforcing plate within said escutch eon plate, said sleeves havingheads thereon between said reinforcing plate and said escutcheon plateto hold said sleeves in place.

6. The construction described in claim 3 and in which the bearing platehas a central multi-sided aperture extending therethrough, and a lockshank extending through said aperture in said bearing plate androtatable therewith.

7. A door knob construction including an escutcheon plate assemblyhaving an aperture extending therethrough, a bearing sleeve having areduced diameter end extending into said aperture, an inner sleevehaving a central tubular portion and projecting ears at opposite endsthereof, a bearing plate anchored to one end of said tubular sleeve bysaid ears, and a door knob assembly having aperture means therethroughthrough which the remaining ears of said inner sleeve may extend toanchor said inner sleeve to said door knob body.

8. The construction described in claim 7 and in which said inner sleeveholds said door knob body against said spacer sleeve. 7

9. The construction described in claim 7 and in which said door knobbody has an aperture therethrough in the end thereof opposite the endconnected to said inner sleeve, and a convex disc normally closing saidlast named aperture.

10. The construction described in claim 7 and in which said bearingplate has a multi-sided aperture extending therethrough.

No references cited.

